An Abuja-based businessman who hails from Adamawa State, Idris Tijjani, has accused Governor Mohammed Jibrilla of Adamawa State of constructing some of the most expensive roads in Nigeria. In an interview with Premium Times, Mr. Tijjani alleged that the governor is simply hiding under the road construction to steal the state’s funds.
Read excerpts of the interview below:
Please tell us your view of the administration of Governor Mohammed Jibrilla in Adamawa State.
Tijjani: Well the APC administration under Governor Bindow is currently constructing roads all over the state capital and some major towns. However, I feel, the governor is getting his priorities wrong by concentrating on just road construction and nothing more.
In the same vein, in as much as I agree Adamawa needs roads, the state deserves good quality roads that would stay the test of time. The roads being constructed by the Lebanese contractors that the governor brought to the state cannot last for more than two years.
The governor actually brought in these Lebanese as fronts for him because he is the one personally executing most of the contracts. He awards to himself using foreign fronts. If he truly wants to construct good quality roads, we have so many indigenous firms that can do that and the best way is for the government to have encouraged competitive bidding for all interested companies so that the best could be selected to do the jobs.
I candidly believe the Lebanese companies he brought cannot compete with most of the local companies we have in Yola.
Don’t you think road construction is what the state needs at this time, to open up and give people access to resources and the like?
Tijjani: My major concern is the kinds of roads being constructed. If you compare the kinds of roads being constructed in other states with those of Adamawa, you will pity our state. Take for instance the road he is constructing for Atiku along Faro road, the Lorries expected to use that road will damage it in just three months.
PT: Perhaps those are the kinds of roads the state can afford; seeing that the state is not all that buoyant?
Tijjani: Everyone knows that Adamawa is not rich, but the governor has been collecting loans left, right and centre. In that case, he has no excuse. Let me also tell you something: the governor is constructing the most expensive roads in Nigeria today. What my state is paying per kilometre is much more than even the ones being paid for in the Niger Delta.
You know the Niger Delta terrain is a difficult one for road construction. Based on the template used by the Federal Ministry of Works, roads are constructed in the northern part of Nigeria at a little over N120 million per kilometre and most of the roads being constructed are far better than the ones in Adamawa State.
The Niger Delta rate is N170 million and above, per kilometre. However, in Adamawa State, based on the 2015 sectoral virement recently approved for the governor by the state House of Assembly, Governor Bindow is constructing a road of 1.125 kilometres at the cost of N1.3 billion. On average the Adamawa state governor is paying N260 million per kilometre, so the issue of not having money does not even arise at all.
Read full interview HERE